Beyond The Taj: Development In The Rustic Heart Of India

The Taj Mahal is one of the most potent symbols of India around the world. It conjures up an idyllic vista; of an endlessly mysterious land; a timeless civilization. Was this a monument to love; or an Emperor’s megalomania? But like everything in the post-modern world; there’s a catch in the tale; white marble and black soot.

While we limp forward with abandon; the image of a lumbering elephant in comparison to a fire-breathing dragon; and the green fanatics on our western wing is coarse; and even demeaning.

The “Make In India” initiative has done some rebranding; but can a mere mechanical lion change legacy and clunky infrastructure overnight? Eight states in India have more poor people than most of sub-Saharan Africa; with social and economic development getting even more skewed. Economic development is a misnomer; although wealth is desirable; there still has to be a sea-change in perceptions.

The Aam Aadmi Party fracas has shown us that idealism is only a farce; the baser instincts of man and coarseness can never be completely subdued; the only hope for India’s development is a convenient compromise. Across the border; Chinese growth is slowing; and Chai Jing’s excellent documentary “Under The Dome” has startling revelations; showing the world the dark underbelly of “Communism” with Chinese characteristics.

For all the inspiration India’s Reds have derived from Maoist ideology; they would have served the nation better if they had focused not on subversion; but on development. Anger against a non-functional state apparatus and pathetic governance is justified; but can change really happen without overhauling the system; and not merely hooliganism. Endless debates on television channels; and coffee-table discussions have not changed the world; a demographic time-bomb is ticking; change is needed with a clear emphasis on relevant parameters.

A disservice has been done to the nation by the misappropriation of Gandhian ideology. Despite his numerous shortcomings; the wily bania from Porbandar was a unique individual; and his tenets; if followed properly; would have brought about concrete, sustainable change. Going to the Malwa region; a stone’s throw away from the legendary badlands of the Chambal; I was amazed by the curious mix of the new and the old that exists everywhere in our great nation.

Gleaming shopping complexes; broken roads; rivers that are now stinking cesspools; and big cars are present everywhere in the wonder that is now India. Ancient philosophy including the Bhagavad Gita; the Buddhists, the Sikhs, the Sufis and the Jains teach us tolerance; compassion, sensitivity and equanimity; but not inaction. What we have today seems to be exemplifying a singular problem in the Indian ethos; hypocrisy.

This is a country that has been a guiding force for the heathen, unenlightened, carnivorous mass of humanity with an emphasis on the higher moral ground; and really humane values. In some respects; it still remains in this hallowed position. For a country known for its other-worldly mysticism; there seems to be no spiritual core to the haphazard notion of urban development currently in place.

If politicians sell us dreams; which do not translate into reality; illusions are shattered and meaningless debate only displays horrendous lunacy. The PM is no messiah for the middle-classes and the poor; and Rahul Gandhi should not certainly con an already skeptical world that wearing kurta-pyjamas can give him the moral fibre to launch inane attacks on a marginally better political dispensation.

Apart from massive egos; the contribution of noted luminaries of the Indian political and legal scene seem to be only a perk-filled existence. Secure in their positions; they make our setup even more murkier; and have proved to be impeding real development.

Like every citizen in India; on a quest for individual and collective salvation; there’s a fundamental question? What’s in it for me? A simple answer; I want a change that is truly transformational. Something that gives us hope for the future. The rustic heart of India should be truly exceptional; without losing its intrinsic charm. Development with desi characteristics.